Entering the throne room, Raven finds Hippolyta sitting there alone. "What you just bore witness to, was the first reformation of our standing forces, ever." Hippolyta says as Raven bows slightly to her. "You understand that life for you here may become difficult for a period of time?"
"Your Highness?" Raven asks while raising an eyebrow.
"Even small changes in our society's structures will take much getting used to, and some will not like it, the now former members of the Guard in particular." Raven nods at this knowing what she meant. "While I do not fear for your safety, last night proved they weren't a threat to you while both parties are unarmed. But I might fear for it as long as you are as you are, if your opponent is armed!" Raven's mind registers the action just in time to do a back flip away from Hippolyta as her sword slices the air where her midsection was. It was something Raven had failed to notice, that the sword was leaning against the throne in its scabbard, and that Hippolyta's free hand had been slowly wandering towards it while she spoke.
Raven is forced to avoid attack after attack, as Hippolyta keeps up the pressure, forcing her back around the throne room, while Raven wonders for a second why it felt easier against Thrakmar and dryly noting that Hippolyta was not hampered at all by her long dress. Hippolyta's stabs, swings and chops all blur together in a flow of motions as if she had been choreographed for it, and Raven is struggling to get out of the path of her attacks. "How will you stop me from taking your life Sister?" Hippolyta asks.
"Disarming you will be a start." Raven replies as she jumps over the throne to get some distance between herself and Hippolyta, feeling the blade whistle past her lower right leg as she jumps. As she lands she feels that she had been hit and something warm makes its way down her leg, she guesses it is blood, but she can't afford to take her eyes of Hippolyta. Even though Hippolyta had never mentioned it, Raven knew from both Io and the others that her sword was supernaturally sharp, Diana having mentioned it was sharp enough to shave the electrons off an atom and if the scratch was anything to go by, Raven believes her now.
"Maybe now you will not be as agile?" Hippolyta says as she charges again, aiming another swing. With the time afforded by the distance between them, Raven dodges under the swing by crouching. As the blade passes over her, she charges forwards into Hippolyta carrying her to the ground. As Raven tries to sit up, Hippolyta strikes her on her forehead with her sword pommel, making the world explode in light. As her sights return, she finds Hippolyta standing at her side idly pointing her sword at her throat. "Yield sister."
"Not yet." Raven says before using the lack of friction there is between her clothes and the marble floor under her to push herself into a clockwise spin, taking her legs into the back of Hippolyta's knees, sending her to the ground again. Raven keeps spinning, first into a hand stand before she is back onto her feet. To watch Hippolyta rise to her feet, with her sword still firmly in her grasp.
"It seems I have been usurped." Artemis' voice has the two combatants look to the door at their side, finding Artemis standing there in her usual green and white attire with her sword sheathed on her back. Raven notices Artemis' eyes widen for a second, realizing another attack is coming, she ducks in time to avoid the swing, instinctively bringing her left heel over her back, planting it directly on Hippolyta's forehead, sending her to the ground again and her sword off to the side.
Fearing for a second she might have knocked Hippolyta unconscious when she doesn't move, Raven and Artemis quickly move to her side. "Your Highness?" Raven asks as she shakes the monarch gently. Hippolyta's eyes snap open before landing a blow to Raven's jaw with her left fist, sending Raven onto her back while Hippolyta gets to her feet, only to sway slightly before falling back onto the ground again.
"I call a draw at this point unless this is about someone's honor being sullied?" Artemis says placing herself between the two.
"I did owe her for a slap that brought me to my senses." Hippolyta says as she sits up, Artemis immediately squashes her own mirth as she sees the red mark left on Hippolyta's forehead who doesn't fail to notice the effort. "I take it the foot left a mark." She sighs. "But no, we are done."
"Good, sister?" Artemis says as she turns to Raven, who sits up groggily while holding onto her smarting jaw. It is at this stage Artemis notice the bruises and state of undress Raven is in. "Seems you arrived ruffled?"
"Ow…" Raven groans. "Some of the Royal Guard did not like my suggestions."
"Reminds me, Highness why aren't they guarding your palace?" Artemis asks Hippolyta over her shoulder.
"They have been dismissed." Hippolyta replies, knowing Artemis would have been finishing off her morning routine or heading towards the palace when she made the announcement. "It would seem that their long service has had an ill influence on its members. Some tried to voice their displeasure about Raven's suggestions about change last night."
"Oh." Artemis sighs. "But?" She asks, feeling there was more to it.
"Diana and I noticed the absence of our nightly guards, we found them brawling with Raven in their quarters." Hippolyta says.
"Seems you got off lightly." Artemis says, getting both Hippolyta and Raven to look up in surprise. "I hate to say it, but this is not the first time I have heard about this, or seen the results."
"Artemis, how many?" Hippolyta asks sternly.
"I know of over 35 times amongst the Bana alone, but I have heard of many others." Artemis says.
"Has it happened to you?" Hippolyta asks noticing a shift in the warrior.
"Once, they tried to, but as Raven will know, I sleep with a ready blade." Artemis replies, getting another sigh out of the monarch as she gets up.
"Show me." Hippolyta says before dragging Artemis by the arm over to her pool, followed by Raven still holding onto her smarting jaw. The pool blurs for a few seconds before showing the interior of Artemis' dwelling, weapons and armor taking up most of the floor space along with four women dressed in the decorated armor of the Royal Guard.
"I was demanding to know what they were doing in my room." Artemis mentions. "They didn't dare come closer as I was armed. After that I always barred my door, even when I'm drunk out of fear of a repeat."
"But why have I not heard of any of this?" Hippolyta asks, clearly upset, Artemis hesitates with a reply. "Soldier?"
"Those amongst the Bana, did not think you would believe them as it would be our word against that of your personal guards, also, I heard some have been threatened by the perpetrators." Artemis replies stiffly, while Hippolyta massages her temples.
"Artemis, will you let it be known amongst our sisters, that I will hear if there are more who wishes to come forth with this? I thought Raven was an isolated incident." Hippolyta admits, having thought she had been swift in action while she walks over to retrieve her sword before returning it to its scabbard.
"I will." Artemis says as the monarch passes her. "How many?" She whispers to Raven.
"13, they got off lightly." Raven grumbles.
"That they did." Hippolyta agrees from her throne. "Artemis, I will have to cancel our sparring today, this has to have my attention."
"Of course Majesty." Artemis agrees.
"Raven, go see if the healers can aid you. I believe it is best if my former guards are not tempted to more bouts of stupidity that will leave them severely injured, so you and Diana are to leave as per your previous arrangements. Artemis, if you can keep it reasonably quiet, I will receive those who have been wronged when they feel ready to tell me about it, under four eyes if desired. Rest assured, those who are guilty of enforcing their own laws in my name will be punished for it." Hippolyta says, dismissing them both. They bow at her before making their way to the door. "Well fought Raven by the way, I hope you will be able to teach us these tricks of yours when the time comes." Raven turns around to see Hippolyta having vacated the room faster than them.
"High praise." Artemis notes with a smirk. "Did you know the name of any of those who assailed you?"
"Alkyone as the only one, bald and white skinned." Raven replies.
"The Fanatic we call her." Artemis adds. "What happened to her?"
"Broke her leg." Raven shrugs.
"Really?" Artemis asks, getting a nod. "I've been wanting to do that for years! This is turning out to be a good day." She exclaims. "So what else have I missed?"
"Well if you want to, you can apply to join the first unit of the new Honor Guard; it will be an annual event now, trial of arms, where the victors join the ranks." Raven replies. "But there will be a rotation."
"This will be talked about for weeks to come, if not months." Artemis exclaims happily as they head down the street that will lead them to the Houses of Healing and the Bana Quarter. "How many was it again you knocked out?"
"Seven. Eight actually if you count the one that tried to jump me in front of everyone after Hippolyta's big announcement this morning. Why the interest?" Raven asks.
"Nuts… er… me and a few of the others sort of betted on you?" Artemis admits strangely embarrassed by it.
"You what?!" Raven asks with a laugh.
"Well someone, Penelope I think it was, felt sure you would end up fighting them at some point, so we took a few bets on how many you'd take out." Artemis replies. "Don't be offended."
"I'm flattered that some at least have faith in me." Raven replies. "What was the prize?"
"A pearl from each in this case, but what Antiope will use them for, I don't know." Artemis shrugs.
"Well, happy diving." Raven says as she stops at the steps of the Temple of Apollo.
"Thanks, I could do with a swim. Oh and you should go see Io if you can manage it, think she might need some cheering up, seems her contraption is making her depressed again." Artemis replies as she keeps walking.
"Will do." Raven says before walking up the stairs.
An hour later, Raven enters Io's smithy, sporting a few bandages and fewer bruises thanks to the herbs and salves that had been administered to her wounds. The Houses were an awkward experience, since most of the injured inside were the Guards from the night before. One of them was about to say something, but Raven had just looked at her, getting her to shut up. It did help that one of the priestesses mentioned that Apollo's temple was not to be the scene of another struggle, and that the Guard's were currently in no condition to even try and take Raven on. At this Alkyone had hobbled out of the temple in anger, supporting herself on a crutch. Entering the smithy Raven notes at first how quiet the place is, then that the forge is out, and that the floor is strewn with metal bits.
"Io?" Raven asks, getting no reply she walks inside checking first the storage room where Io studied Raven's armor. Failing to find the woman there, Raven takes a peek inside the room Io normally sleeps inside. She only takes a peek because no one is allowed into that room, Raven has speculated that Io keeps her schematics in it, and like Cyborg, she is very touchy with her inventions. "Io?" Raven asks again, knocking on the door spotting no one through the crack, only a wall lit by a candle out of sight.
The door is suddenly pulled open, revealing a bleary eyed and annoyed looking Io, while a foul smelling air emerges with her. "What?! Can't anyone sleep during the night anymore?!" The woman blurts in a less coherent fashion.
"It's noon but someone suggested that I come check up on you." Raven replies.
"I'm fine." Io shrugs, aiming to push the door closed again.
"Not when you are angry and drinking." Raven counters, putting herself in the door frame.
"I'm neither." Io grumbles as she keeps pushing.
"Yes you are." Raven says.
"You can't tell, heard you burnt yourself out!"
"Io, I can smell the wine and you are trying to squash me in your door instead of pushing me out like you normally do, oh and if you keep squashing, my wounds are going to open again." Raven replies.
"Not going to get rid of you, am I?" Io growls but keeps up the pressure.
"I am reported to be quite stubborn." Raven growls back, Io keeps pushing for a few seconds more before snorting and stops, getting the door to slam open because of the pressure Raven was putting on it. "It's the healing machine, isn't it?"
"I worked on that blasted contraption for over three hundred years!" Io shouts angrily, before she grabs an empty wine bottle and hurls it at the wall, shattering it before she leans heavily on her desk with both arms. "And I am no closer to finishing it than I was two hundred and fifty years ago." She sighs. "Bet even Man's World has made something like it by now." She continues as she plops down on the single chair.
"Never heard of it yet." Raven replies. "But if there is, it's not out amongst the public."
"I just don't get what I am doing wrong, whenever I think I have the solution, the damn thing just blows it all up again. Well, at least it won't upset me anymore." Io sighs as she sits down on the single chair.
"I take it the bits on the floor out there was it?" Raven gets a nod for her question as she sits her right leg on Io's desk. "At least you will have more time for your other projects then."
Io just sighs at this. "That was my only one; everything out there is as perfect as I can make it. Sure I could make more suits of armor like those of Hippolyta's, but I'd need the metal to do it, and it is an increasingly rare now a day's. And I have made enough weapons to fill the market square, but there is only demand for an occasional new blade. And I would only be indulging myself if I attempted to make one of the horseless chariots from the outside world. What's a woman to do when her passion has turned stale?" Io asks, sounding almost pleading as she looks up at Raven.
"Io, you have been Themyscira's practically only smith for what? Three thousand years? And how many periods have you had when you weren't here?" Raven asks looking around the room.
"Few, as you can guess, only days at most. Except when I went to train with you, the wargames and that trip to Tartarus." Io replies while resting her head on her hands that again rests on her knees. "Why?"
"Don't take this the wrong way, but I think you need a break from all of this." Io looks at her with a raised eyebrow. "I didn't say permanently; think of it as an educational trip to get new inspiration."
"I am not uninspired you know?" Io sighs, missing the point.
"I didn't say you weren't. Think about this, you live in your smithy, you work in it and most of the time, you take your meals back here." Raven says.
"My world needs nothing more, it's small and comfortable."
"But what will it be if it's the only thing you see?" Raven asks, reminded that her own room back in the old Titans Tower was something like this.
Io thinks for several moments before replying. "A homemade prison, eventually." She sighs.
"It will. I will advise you to at least not sleep here, no one is forcing you to work from dawn till dusk." Raven replies.
"No, I am practical person; I sleep here so that I won't have so far to walk to get here. If I have to take a break, I have to stay away, guess we will have to brick up the entrance." Io says with a small smirk.
"No, you just have to focus on whatever job you take." Raven replies smirking back.
"But what will I do? In favor of all of this, I've pretty much forgotten the rest?"
"You'll get into the swing of it again. But I hear Hippolyta will announce a competition for those who wish to join the Royal Guard."
Io snickers at this. "You're funny, that group hasn't changed for over three thousand years, why should they let me in?"
"Well if you ventured out of your dwelling a little more often, you might have heard the announcement this morning. The Guard has been dismissed this very morning, on the account that they had begun to enforce their own laws and some beginning to worship Hippolyta as a deity." Io just stares at her in shock.
"I do need to eat out more often if I have missed this." She says before noticing the bandages on Raven's lower leg and arm. "And I drink too much, since I have missed your injuries, but I am certain you had none yesterday?"
"Last night the Guard wanted a not-so-friendly chat with me, dragging me off to their small enclosure. The ensuing brawl got interrupted by Hippolyta and Diana, those trying to beat me up had apparently left their posts to do so. This morning Hippolyta had decided to make the Royal Guard, more akin to an Honor Guard, those who perform well during the trial, will be selected, serve for a year when a new group takes over."
"You don't look overly worried, or injured?" Io notes at Raven, her mind having become hung up on the fight.
"I suggested to Hippolyta yesterday that the Guard had problems, Alkyone overheard it. But no, once I got free I did fight with the intention of being the only one walking out, but had to settle with only seven that couldn't. The one on the leg is from this morning, Hippolyta wanted to get even with me for slapping some sense into her during the battle. One of the invaders could bend minds and tried having her kill me."
"Well, no matter the intention hitting Hippolyta has always proved a bad idea. How many did you lay out?"
"You're in on the bet I hear off?" Raven gets a nod. "Anitope won, seven last night and one this morning." Io curses quietly under her breath. "What?"
"Oh only I had my bet on nine." Io shrugs.
"Well there were 13 at the start and they weren't doing so well when Hippolyta and Diana showed up." Raven shrugs. "How long has this bet been going on?"
"Few weeks after Diana returned to the land of the living." Io says. "Diana told us about it, and was the one that started the bet, putting hers at 10."
"How many is in on this?" Raven asks.
"The usual suspects and a few others." Io says. "Bet was how many you could take without transforming, if you had, bet would have remained standing."
"So you also knew about the Guard and its 'lectures'?" Raven asks.
"Most of the island does I guess, except Hippolyta and Philipus, because the Guard worked to hide it from her specifically and those who they knew they couldn't intimidate by rank like General Philipus."
"Well, if you have been the target of one of these lectures, Hippolyta would want to know about it, she has taken offense to having it conducted in her name. Artemis was the target once, but she was armed." Raven adds.
"Being the person that I am, I lock my doors to keep my schematics secret but they never bothered me. Guess I have to find a new hiding place for all of them?" Io says as she casts a look at a wall next to the pile of straw that serves as her bed. "Take a good look, you're the first to do so."
"Built all of them?" Raven asks, taking them all in, virtually all of them are small drawings surrounded by line upon line of notes, written in a strange language, or it seems to be a strange language at first. "You write backwards?"
"Clever, but yes and I leave out small critical details so if they ever get stolen someone is in for a nasty surprise."
"One of the greatest inventors of the outside world did the same." Raven says. "They are impressive."
"Thank you. You can take that one with you that's in the basket under the table." Io says, Raven gets off the table and pulls the crumpled piece of paper out before unfurling it. "I'm done trying to build it." Io sighs as Raven studies the plan of the 'Healing Ray' as the header says.
"Mind if I take it with me?" Raven asks.
"It's yours, but I am going to come looking for you if I find it in the outside world one day. Well, better get packing and see if that old dwelling of mine is still suitable for habitation."
"I didn't say you have to rush out of here." Raven notes as she gently folds the plans together.
"Think I have to or I will just remain." Io says as she begins pulling the plans off the wall. "Besides, this and my hammer is all I really have to take with me."
"Special?" Raven asks as Io picks up a heavy looking hammer that looks worn to the point of being out of shape.
"To me it is. The one who taught me the craft gave it to me at the end of my apprenticeship, but that was after we all moved here. I don't use it any more, the head is a bit loose, and I don't want to break it." Io says.
"She isn't here anymore?" Raven asks, Io shakes her head.
"First chance she got at Dooms Door she got herself killed, we had a few of those, sisters that couldn't handle the abuse we had gone through. Sometimes I think she only made it across the ocean so she could finish teaching me." She sighs. "Got any memories of her?"
"Yes… a Hepestina, wasn't it? It wasn't her given name, but one she took to feel closer to Hephaestus." Io nods at this. "Did I ever tell you of our little time travel experience?"
"What? No?" Io asks before apparently thinking it over. "Is that even possible?"
"In the future it will be. Some man tried to steal something from the League satellite that would be valuable in his time. Landing him in the middle of a sparring session between me, Diana, Shayera and Zatanna. Spotting us, he panicked and we all got transported along with him into the past, landing us all in the market square of Old Themyscira."
"You what?!" Io asks, stopping with her packing.
"We did, which was very odd. It was exactly like I remember it, even got to meet Penelope, and we did see you when we passed the smithy, but you were too busy banging away at something to notice us. We learned later you accidentally electrocuted yourself with Shayera's mace when you turned it on." Raven says with a smirk.
"I had forgotten about that. So that was her mace? Jeez, I remember having to take a week off because of the burns my hand got from that thing. But how did Hippolyta take meeting her future child?" Io asks while scratching her neck before beginning packing again.
"We didn't plan on telling her initially, but she made it impossible not to. But she said she was proud of what Diana had become."
"Did she find out about you?" Io asks.
"She did, used that pool of hers, but I didn't want to make Hippolyta feel obligated in the future. This is all you take with you?" She asks as Io gently folds her schematics and retrieves the hammer, wrapping it in cloth.
"Keep my clothes in my other room, in case I need to look pretty, it's best if it's not all covered in soot. What?"
"The apron?" Raven asks, Io looks down herself at first before sighing.
"Guess I won't have much use for it till I get back?" She says as she puts her things on the table before untying the piece of skin and pulls it over her head. "Lost count of how many times I've fallen asleep with it on." She continues as she folds it and puts it on the table.
"Ready to go?"
"Ready." Io confirms. "We should inform Hippolyta, so my replacement can be notified."
"Then we go there first." Raven continues as Io blows out the candle before stepping out of the room first and then outside the forge, leaving Raven to shut the doors. The pair discusses the possible professions Io can begin on now as they make their way to the palace, where Io immediately notice the change in guards but lets it go unmentioned, before they are admitted into the throne room.
"Sister Io." Hippolyta greets. "Have you come to seek permission to build something?" She asks noticing the folded papers under Io arm as the two bows to her, normally Io would present her intentions to Hippolyta before building it, in case she thought it dangerous.
"Past projects your Highness." Io says.
"Then what brings you here?" Hippolyta asks. "Does this concern the Guard's actions?"
"Not at all great Queen. I am here to announce that I will be vacating my smithy for the foreseeable future." Io says, getting Hippolyta to raise her eyebrows.
"I would hear of your reason behind your wish to do so."
"To be blunt great Queen, I have run out of ideas. I finally gave up on the 'Healing Ray' last night and I know not what to develop now. It was suggested that perhaps I have bricked myself into my smithy, a small area where inspiration is scarce for me now. And knowing myself, I cannot be even loosely attached to the smithy, but I am at your service if needed, as always." Hippolyta nods at her explanation.
"Very well, I will have your pupils notified that their skills will be needed. And I hope you find the inspiration you seek in the profession you now choose."
"Thank you, Your Highness, I will do my best to find it." Io bows at her, as does Raven who has remained silent now, before making to leave.
"Sister Raven, you may stay." Hippolyta says before Raven can get her feet off the ground.
"See you later." Io whispers to Raven in passing as she makes her way out, getting a small nod from her.
"Guards, you may leave us." Hippolyta continues, ignoring Io's whisper.
Raven catches a strange look in Hippolyta's eyes, something between excitement and mischievous, it makes Raven nervous enough to keep an eye on Hippolyta's hands, who's fingertips rest against each others in front of her face, after making sure there is no sword visible. For some reason, Raven has the feeling she is a sheep staring at a wolf. Hippolyta waits a few seconds after the last guard is out, before moving.
"I am not going to attack you again." Hippolyta says with a mirthful tone in her voice. "I am however going to request not to make anymore social upheavals for the next month." She says, apparently enjoying herself.
"I will try not to." Raven says. "But that is not the reason why you bid me stay?" She asks.
"It is not." Hippolyta says as she gets out of her seat, and begins circling Raven who keeps staring forwards. "Last night you were engaged by my former guards, numerically outnumbered as well as physically smaller than them, logics would have thought you would have fallen, badly. But you defied these odds and from what I saw myself, looked to triumph armed with nothing but your bare hands. And this morning you, in a casual fashion, almost broke an arm without working up a sweat."
"I don't take kindly to people that wishes to beat me into submission or silence." Raven answers.
"Good, none of us should. A thought occurred to me last night, a memory rather. When you, Diana and your two friends visited us three thousand years ago, I bade you all reveal yourselves in my pool. I remember your image ended with a dark clad woman, carrying the image of a bat on her chest, perched on a ledge. Then I remembered Diana's tales of the prowess of the Batman in the field of unarmed combat. While you have obviously chosen to keep this a secret from me, I will ask you now; has the Batman taken you under his wings?" Hippolyta asks, stopping in front of Raven.
"He has, he was entertaining the idea of asking me to join him before I even met you on the Watchtower. When the spirits of Diana and the others were reunited with their bodies, he offered me the chance with the approval of the former wearer."
"Former? Did she fail in some manner?" Hippolyta asks.
"Not at all. Her father is the leader of the police in Gotham City and the worst madman the city has ever known tried to drive him insane, shooting his daughter in front of him as a part of it. Today, she is paralyzed from the waist down." Hippolyta nods.
"She has my sympathies. So the Dark One discarded her?" She asks.
"No. He has done all that he could so that she would cope with her disability, also her own stubbornness has made her defy it. While she could no longer wear the symbol, she instead renamed herself Oracle and applied her mind to finding information and leading a squad of operative's on covert missions from afar."
"Hmm, very well. I take it only a very specific handful here knows about your other identity?" Hippolyta asks getting a nod, Raven had sworn her friends to secrecy about it. "When you return here, I would have you bring this armor with you, if you wish to preserve its secret you may, but I would wish to see it."
"I will remember to bring it with me." Raven says, her mind already having worked up in an idea about infiltrating the palace.
"Good. Now I have a standing proposition for you, in part as recognition of your actions during the battle. While we are under no illusion that Heracles is not gone forever, Zeus will release him eventually, you have halted his rampages and we are safe from him, for now. So this is my offer that will remain open unless I say otherwise; I want you to become my personal champion, fight for me when necessary, be my representative on the battlefield in the places I cannot be." Raven just stares wide-eyed at Hippolyta at the offer before trying to mouth something but is cut off. "Diana is the Champion of the Gods, first and foremost. If we are so unfortunate, they can see fit to call her away in the midst of a battle, even when her presence would otherwise be crucial and for however long it may please them. If that should happen, then it falls to you lead the front line on, be where the fight is thickest and prevail. Also there will be other assignments, but what do you say?" As Hippolyta finishes, Raven's mind comes back to reality, not having really heard what Hippolyta had said, having been busy going over the implications of the offer.
"But… surely someone more experienced, like Donna, would be better suited for such an honor?" Raven manages.
"Donna indeed has many virtues, a gentle heart, terrible fury and a skilled warrior. Yes, she would be a suitable candidate. But you Sister, you are a rare breed and the only Amazon who appears as equally skilled in physical combat and magic. Philipus could one day become your equal, but I see her sacrifice one skill for the other, growing slowly in both areas. If this is because of her teachers or herself matters not, the fact remains that she will be fully trained no sooner than in a thousand years, by my own estimations. Before the armor of the Champion of the God was forged, we once had the Champion of our nation, a fearsome warrior without peer called Mnenosyne, even a spark of mystical energy was in her. Alas this fearsome warrior fell to the power of Heracles after I was undone, not even she could bring him down. He made an example of her by squeezing her life from her body in front of my eyes. When we moved here, we needed no Champion as we were never challenged. This all changed when Diana first stole the armor and revealed our existence to the world at large, first the sorcerer Faust breached our shores with the aid of his foul magic and now we have faced an invasion of petty fascists that I had honestly hoped the world would have been rid of by now. This makes me believe that the need for Themyscira's Champion has arisen again. And as I said, we need one the Gods cannot pull away for their own amusement when they feel like it." Raven forces herself not to smile at the last mention, if the old Guard had heard it come from someone else they would most likely have been talking to the person in the night. "They can take it up with me if they feel offended. But what do you say?" Hippolyta asks again.
"Your Highness I would be honored." Raven says before putting words to her concern. "But will it not be problematic when I am away as much as I am?"
"I am not asking you to be my shadow, only to be available as soon as possible if needed. In that regard, nothing changes for you. I know some will question as to why I have chosen you, due to your comparably sort time amongst us and your young age. But none will question your prowess; unarmed and with no more power than the average sister, you were humbling 13 of my guard, something the fewest here could hope to accomplish. So, will you accept this great honor I offer you?"
"I accept it humbly, your Highness, I will not fail you." Raven replies, bowing deeply, still slightly overwhelmed.
"I know you won't. Now rise, Champion of Themyscira!" Hippolyta announces loudly, Raven immediately hears the far off patter of a pair of sandaled feet against the marble floor as she straightens up, in time to see General Philipus emerge from the left corridor, leading to the armory, amongst other things almost sliding to a halt on the floor. The woman looks confused for a second before, smiling slightly. "You have long ears General." Hippolyta notes as she turns in her seat, but the smirk tells she was quite expecting the General.
"Pardon, your Highness, but you did ask me linger at the edge of hearing. So we have a Champion I see?" Philipus says as she walks over to stand next to Raven, so Hippolyta does not have to turn in her seat.
"Do you approve of my selection?" Hippolyta asks.
"Outside of the Princess, I could see no other." Philipus says. "Congratulations sister."
"Thank you General." Raven replies drawing a smile and a nod.
"So will she be leaving my staff?" Philipus asks, as Raven has learned, Philipus referred to all of the army officers as part of her staff which is mostly true for those holding the ranks of captain and upwards as the number of sergeants number in the hundreds.
"Not at all, she is still yours to command unless I say otherwise, and she still has to perfect her battlefield presence." Hippolyta replies.
"Very well, so we will get to see how she can develop her squad?" Philipus continues, as a General she is always interested in new tactics and is taking a particular interest in how Raven has been leading hers as it was unlike anything she had ever seen before.
"If we face more invaders from the outside world, we may have to adapt our army to face these threats. If Raven can develop her squad sufficiently, we should be open to the possibility to have the idea expand so that we do not prove vulnerable to the blast weapons of the outside world." Hippolyta says. "But hopefully another invasion will be very long coming."
"As you wish your Highness." Philipus replies. "Will there be a ceremony to announce the new Champion?" Raven internally cringes a little at this, with the current situation this could be a powder keg as she imagines Alkyone or someone else stumbling drunkenly into the midst of it all slurring abuse at her or throwing things.
"None is needed and there is enough to be taken care of at the moment and Raven has an appointment in the outside world along with Diana." Hippolyta says. "On that note Sister you may go find her and let her know you are both free to leave when you need to."
"As you wish your Highness." Raven says, putting a fist over her heart, bowing slightly before making her way out of the throne room, wondering how all of this was going to affect her in the long run.
"Morning exercise?" Raven greets as she meets Diana walking out of the quarry, carrying two blocks of stone on her shoulders, each weighing several tons.
"Being friendly." Diana replies with a smirk. "All patched up I see?"
"Yes, even made it possible for me to not look like a train wreck for tonight." Raven replies as she falls into step alongside the Princess. "Hippolyta says we are free to leave when we want to."
"Good, I was wondering if she would have us stay and help out, but I guess you will have a number of enemies here for a period of time?" Diana asks, turning to look at Raven for a second as the walk, swinging the stone blocks around as if they were empty cardboard boxes.
"That I have, I guess." Raven shrugs. "But I can only hope they won't resort to stabbing me in my sleep."
"Let's hope not, but sudden social changes is never without their troubles. In this even our isolation has not made us any different from the outside world." Diana shrugs. "So care to indulge me with what my mother wanted to talk with you about this morning?"
"Partially she wanted to get even with me for slapping some sense into her during the battle, Brother Blood mind controlled her, and she wanted to see what I would do against an armed opponent in my current state. So she came swinging at me with her sword. But she is hard getting past, considering her skill with it."
"But you did?" Diana asks.
"Eventually. But she played possum and lamped me one for it." Raven admits. "Also she wanted me to bring my other suit with me when I get back."
"So she remembered it." Diana nods to herself, reminded of the time travelling. "Will you make it public?"
"Probably not, in case more venture from Themyscira searching for me, it would be bad if they ask for me using both names." Raven replies. "So when will you be diving for Antiope's pearl?" Diana suppresses a snicker at this mention.
"When I have the time for it. Who told you about it?"
"Artemis, but Io let on you started it."
"Well I did wonder how many of them you could handle. So how is Io holding up? She seemed depressed after her machine fouled up again." Diana continues as they come within sight of the palace.
"Angry and drunk, she smashed the machine last night. I convinced her that she should try and work with something new for more inspiration, so right now she is trying to move into her old dwelling. Hopefully she can resist going back out of habit. Even got the plans for the Ray for my efforts." Raven says while holding up the paper, but the sound is enough for Diana.
"How did you manage that? That would be like convincing Artemis to pick up knitting."
"Io is an artist as much as a crafter, but she was out of ideas; the Ray was the only thing she had to work on. Giving up on that, she would be left with weapons and armor crafting."
"And as good as they are, she doesn't like to just repeat her work over and over." Diana nods as they come up on the side of the palace, where Diana deposits the stones at the edge of the enclosed gardens that runs along the sides, past the throne room. "So when should we leave?"
"If we leave at nightfall here, we should be in Gotham by noon. But till we do, I think it's only fair we help out here."
"Well I think my mother would allow you to just wander, but you are right." Diana replies.
"I am glad that you both feel that way, we have much to do today." Heista says, announcing her presence as she walks over to them from the palace entrance. "And perhaps with sister Raven busy, we can prevent her from causing any more strange changes in our society?" She says with a smirk. "But I must warn you that Queen Hippolyta has assigned some of her former guards to me, so I hope you will all go through the day without molesting each other."
"I will only react if they force me to." Raven says, nodding to her as a greeting.
"Good, because I will ask you to take it to the arena if you have to, our progress will be slowed if fights have to be resolved in the quarry."
"Hopefully it won't come to that." Raven shrugs. "How many?"
"Only five. But I will nonetheless expect to see you both shortly when we meet up. Princess." Heista nods to Diana before walking off towards the quarry.
"Wonder if normal office workers have it like this?" Raven wonder out loud.
"Only if you are Lois Lane." Diana replies, having been told by the reporter herself that the most dangerous place she had ever been in was her own office. "We better get going, shall we?"
"Let's." Raven replies before the two walk back to the quarry. "By the way have I mentioned Richard has returned?"
Next Chapter: It's back to Gotham for a ball.